


The "Aha" Moment

by hardboiledbaby



Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-06
Updated: 2011-03-06
Packaged: 2017-10-16 03:35:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 466
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/167987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hardboiledbaby/pseuds/hardboiledbaby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Murray forgot. Cody and Nick remembered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The "Aha" Moment

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the LJ pier56 challenge 5: Cheer Up

Murray woke up and fumbled for his glasses before peering groggily at his watch. It was past ten a.m. and he jumped up in a panic before he remembered there was nothing to be panicked about. Last night he, Cody, and Nick had finally caught the trespassers that had been trashing the nearby strip mall. A handful of teen-aged boys led by a disgruntled ex-employee of one of the shops had been responsible for the mayhem—vandalizing the property after hours, spraying graffiti, upending garbage cans, and creating a very expensive nuisance for the mall owners. The job had required a fairly extensive surveillance system, and Murray spent most of the last week and a half tweaking the equipment by day and baby-sitting the setup at night.

For a moment, Murray debated whether or not to get back into bed. He was still tired, but having jolted himself awake, he decided it wasn't worth trying to go back to sleep. He sighed and got dressed.

He felt a little headachy and out-of-sorts. He chalked it up to the letdown after the excitement of closing the case, but couldn't shake off a vague sense of unease.

 _No, it's not about the case. I'm forgetting something. What am I missing?_

The elusive thought gnawed at him as he got dressed and headed to the salon.

 _Was I supposed to do something today? What day is it, anywa—_

"Surprise!"

Nick and Cody's combined voices startled Murray so much, he tripped and stumbled. Nick, who was nearest, grabbed his arm and kept him from falling.

"Whoa! You okay?"

"I-I'm fine. What—?" He stared in confusion at the table, which was set with a huge breakfast and decorated with balloons and streamers.

"We're celebrating a great day in history," Cody said, smiling. "Thirty years ago today, Mrs. Bozinsky gave birth to—"

"It's.... It's my birthday!" Murray exclaimed.

"It sure is. Happy Birthday, Murray," Nick released Murray's arm in favor of thumping him on his back, then clasping his shoulder warmly. "Your first one here with us."

"The real party is tonight at Straightaway's, but we thought we'd get a head start, just the three of us," Cody said, coming over to stand on Murray's other side. He draped his arm over Murray's shoulders too.

"Four of us," Nick corrected dryly, "don't forget the Roboz." The orange robot chirped in agreement.

"Wow guys, this is so boss, I don't know what to say! I can't believe you'd go through all this trouble for me." Murray hugged them both, delighted and touched.

"'Trouble'?" Nick and Cody exchanged bemused glances before Nick went on matter-of-factly, "It's no trouble. We're friends, aren't we?" As if that explained everything.

And really? It did. Murray suddenly realized he wasn't missing anything, after all. Not a thing.


End file.
